The present invention relates to a new and improved control apparatus.
A known control apparatus is utilized in association with a conveyor to control movement of packages or other articles along the conveyor. This known control apparatus includes a plurality of sensors. The sensors are interconnected by integral cables having lengths which are greater than the longest expected length between adjacent sensors. In the event that the apparatus is utilized with shorter spacing between sensors, excess cable is coiled up and stowed. If the sensors were manufactured with integral cables of different lengths to match any length selected by a customer, the manufacturer would have to maintain an inventory which includes a relatively large number of sensors connected with integral cables of different lengths.
With a known control apparatus, a sensor cable may exit from the sensor body in a direction toward a next adjacent sensor in a chain of sensors. If the cable exits from the sensor body in a direction away from the next adjacent sensor in the chain of sensors, the cable would have to be bent 180 degrees and be longer than the desired spacing between sensors to make the next connection. With a known control apparatus, replacement of a damaged sensor requires disconnection of an integral cable associated with the damaged sensor from other sensors and their associated cables. The damaged sensor and its associated cable are then replaced.